The country’s fertility rate is currently at 1.5 children per woman, below the 2.1 rate needed for population stability.
On the initiative, Putin said, “The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority. The fate of Russia…depends on how many of us there will be. It is a question of national importance.”
The population decline has been exacerbated by the emigration of over one million younger citizens due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov supports the idea, dismissing busy work schedules as a deterrent. “You can have children during breaks,” he said, responding to concerns about long working hours.
In addition to this policy, other measures are being implemented to boost birth rates. In Moscow, women are being offered free fertility checks. MP Tatyana Butskaya has proposed that employers track and report employees’ birth rates to increase yearly births. In the Chelyabinsk region, women are being offered financial incentives for their first child, and access to abortions is being restricted. There are also higher divorce fees, with public figures and church leaders promoting larger families.President Putin has also ordered an expansion of the Russian military. He plans to increase the number of troops by 180,000, bringing the total force to 2.38 million, with 1.5 million active personnel. This move follows previous increases in military personnel since the start of the Ukraine invasion in 2022, aiming to strengthen national security.